Things to Consider When Selecting a Chicken Breed

Deciding to raise chickens is hard enough, but once you've chosen to start a little flock of your very own, you still have to decide what sort of chickens you'll want to populate your farm with. Do you know how much space you'll need? Or what type of coop to have? Here are a few things to consider before you start raising your chickens.First you'll need to know exactly what purpose you want your chickens to specialize in. Are they intended as dinner birds? Or do you just want eggs now and then? A lot of breeds specialize in both, but just as many breeds aren't really great at either and either act as simply pets or work best on the show circuits. Deciding why you want a chicken will help in getting the right breed for the job.Next, you'll need to determine just how much space you have to work with and what that means in relation to your birds. More space opens up bigger possibilities of breeds, but smaller spaces limits your choices a bit. A lot of this comes down to the need some breeds have for larger runs or a general resistance to being cooped up for too long. A bit of research will be important here to know what their particulars are, such as if they like to forage a lot or if they are capable of leaping tall fences with short flights. Knowing what you want will help with future planning.If you've decided you want egg layers or show poultry, you also might need to make sure you have a coop set up with the proper bedding and nesting areas. Layers will require a soft nest where they feel comfortable laying to their heart's content, whereas some show chickens will have long feathers that need to be taken care of and protected from damage, such as when sleeping or from dragging on the ground. You'll also need to look into the aggression levels of the chickens you pick. Some breeds are prone to fighting, especially with other flocks of different breeds, but there are some that get along great with everyone. If you intend to have more than one type of species on your farm, you should check how well it gets along with others or humans. A lot of this will go hand-in-hand with the particulars on space requirements, but if you don't do your homework, you could end up with a rooster that injures everyone around it all because it's a breed that doesn't play nice.Raising chickens can be great fun, but you need to know what you want and how to best suit your needs before jumping in all at once. Do your research and enjoy!

Posted in: Breed,chicken,Consider,Selecting,Things